


The world is over (but I don't care 'cause I am with you)

by starkjam



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone (Walking Dead), Bisexual Daryl Dixon, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Homophobia, I'm just tagging that now, Internalized Homophobia, Jesus Lives (Walking Dead), M/M, Negan Being Negan (Walking Dead), Negan is an automatic warning (Walking Dead), Original Character(s), Original Male Character(s) - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Daryl Dixon, Sharing a Room, Slow Burn, The Hilltop (Walking Dead), Walkers (Walking Dead)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:34:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22641130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkjam/pseuds/starkjam
Summary: "You don't have to be afraid of me. I know you.""Yeah, that's the scary part."OrIn which Isaac, a supply runner for the Hilltop Colony, runs into Daryl, a member of another community he has never heard of.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Character(s), Daryl Dixon/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 50





	1. Playlist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a list of songs that I think fit this story. Some may or may not pop up later on!
> 
> *bolded are most important*

**i. Alone, Together - The Strokes**

ii. Hanging By a Moment - Lifehouse

iii. Dreams - The Cranberries

iv. I Must Be Dreaming - The Maine

**v. I'm Still Here (Jim's Theme) - John Rzeznik**

vi. Pictures of You - The Cure

vii. The Promise - Tracy Chapman

**viii. Semi-Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind**

ix. Iris - The Goo Goo Dolls

x. 3AM - Matchbox Twenty

xi. Even Flow - Pearl Jam

xii. Two Princes - Spin Doctors

**xiii. Kickstart My Heart - Mötley Crüe**

xiv. Lost In Love - Air Supply

**xv. Boys Don't Cry - The Cure**

xvi. Lights - Journey

xvii. Better Days - The Goo Goo Dolls

**xviii. I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick**

xix. Dreams - Fleatwood Mac

**xx. Bad Company - Bad Company**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While on a supply run, Paul and Isaac run into two strangers named Rick and Daryl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. I'm back again with a fic while my other remains incomplete. How wild.
> 
> Title comes from Alone, Together by the Strokes. If you've begun reading before a soundtrack/playlist has been posted, that'll be coming soon! I'll tell you in the notes when that has been uploaded and I recommend going through the songs when you can. They may or may not be important later in the story.
> 
> Some notes before we begin:
> 
> 1\. Instead of ~1.5 years passing between season 1 and 6, about 5-6 have passed. Isaac, the OC, is 25, and Daryl is early-mid 30s (like Jesus).
> 
> 2\. Please take care of yourself and heed the tags! Stuff like violence, homophobia, and death are reoccurring and I'll be updating the story tags as I go. I'll also always place a warning of what to expect in each update in the notes, so watch for those as well!
> 
> 3\. I tagged this as slow burn, but it's not /too/ slow. It's touch and go at some points for reasons that will be later addressed, but this won't be a story where the MCs get together in the very last chapter.
> 
> 4\. This story is set season 6 and onward. If you're not up to date, some things may be confusing. I also don't follow the storyline of the tv show exactly, but it stays pretty close for the most part
> 
> 5\. If I've messed up anything from the show, please let me know!! This is a work of fiction, but I don't want the characters to seem too ooc or for Isaac to end up a Mary Sue.

Even in the midst of the end of the world, Isaac liked to keep a schedule. 

Monday was his assigned laundry day, so he spent a good amount of time washing his and other peoples’ clothes in the community basin and hanging them to dry on the outdoor clothing line. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday he spent the majority of his day in the garden, working with Tammy and Oscar on planting, maintaining the greenhouses, and harvesting crops. Friday, his favorite day of the week, was for going on supply runs, while Saturdays were spent writing the haul into the inventory. And Sundays were reserved for worship. Granted, Isaac usually didn’t attend, but he appreciated the no-work rule. As of late, Gregory was on the more religious side of the fence and enforced a Sunday service each week on the front lawn. 

On Fridays, Paul liked to wake Isaac up before even the roosters could crow to head out. In the beginning, Isaac would complain every morning. He’d beg for more sleep and plead for them to leave later, but it always resulted in Paul giving him a mini-lecture on _how the early bird gets the worm_ or whatever. Thankfully, Gregory started allowing them to borrow a truck so they could venture out farther in hopes of more supplies to give to the Saviors, and Isaac could get a little more shut-eye from the passenger seat. Sadly, that also meant he had a near-heart attack when a bang erupted from outside and the vehicle swerved on the road. 

“Shit!” Paul yelled, fighting to keep the truck on the road. If this had happened five years ago, before the dead started trying to chow down on living people, they would’ve veered into oncoming traffic and t-boned another car. The vehicle shuttered to a stop in the middle of the street. 

“What happened?” Isaac asked, his voice groggy but his eyes wide awake. 

“I don’t know,” Paul responded. “Did I hit something? It sounded like it came from under the hood…” Isaac shrugged because, well, he had been asleep. However, the smoke pouring from the front of the car told them that it _did_ come from the engine. 

Paul flipped the lever to pop the hood of the car and both of the boys climbed out of the vehicle. Getting the hood open caused more smoke to drain out and Isaac turned away to cough. 

“What do you think?” As soon as they could see, they stuck their heads inside of the cover. “Do you see anything?” Paul wondered. 

Isaac sighed, “I’m a gardener, not a mechanic. Let me just try to start it and we’ll see what happens.” Paul nodded as the younger boy walked around the car to climb into the driver’s seat. He turned the key, hoping for the engine to roar to life so they could get back on their way, but the truck merely gave a single grunt before dying. “Well that answers that. Should we head back?” 

Paul shook his head. “We’ll just, uh, walk like we used to. Besides, Gregory will never let us borrow another truck. And we need supplies.” He wiped the sweat from his forehead away with the bandana tied around his neck. Before, they would’ve been able to return and maybe head out again the next day, but with the Saviors breathing down their neck lately, there wasn’t time. “Lets keep going, maybe we’ll find another ride.” Isaac didn’t say a word as he grabbed the backpack from the passenger seat, swung it over his shoulder, and followed Paul further down the road. 

Before the end of the world, Isaac was a senior in college and a month away from graduating with a bachelor's degree in engineering. He used that to his advantage, of course, during his questioning (or _interview_ as Gregory liked to call it) before joining Hilltop. He could tell the community was closely knit and not very open to outsiders, and he knew it was likely they wouldn’t let him stay, so he sort of fudged the truth on his abilities. He had taken classes focused on horticultural engineering and knew the basics of building a greenhouse, but he wasn’t an expert by any means. Luckily, with the apocalypse, a greenhouse was good enough. 

On top of that, all of the gardening going on in the community was simple seeds in the ground and praying something would grow. It seemed no one had any background on farming apart from growing daisies in a flower box and Isaac definitely had his work cut out for him. That was actually how he ended up a supply runner. Paul was a smart guy, but he didn’t even know where to begin looking for rods or PVC material. 

They all decided it would be best for Isaac to go with him just once and, well, the rest is history. Isaac was stealthy, focussed, and he got along so well with Paul, the original supply runner asked Gregory if Isaac could be a permanent addition to his team. Somehow he convinced the leader of Isaac's strengths and now he was in charge of gardening structures and assisted Paul in the runs. Now, gardening was going better than ever, and, even with them having to give half of their resources to the Saviors, more supplies were being brought in from runs with double the man power. It was safe to say everyone was more than content with Isaac’s help and he was happy to be creating a meaningful place somewhere. 

“Hold on.” Paul muttered, sticking his arm out to stop Isaac from walking. Paul’s head tilted to the side, his hair falling away to expose his ear underneath. “In the trees!” He directed with a whisper, giving the boy a push. Isaac did as he was told without question and ducked into the woods, crouching and shuffling further inside. A few seconds later, a large box truck sped past, pulling in the parking lot of an abandoned gas station just a few yards ahead. “Look at the size of that truck.” He mumbled. 

“You think those are Saviors?” Isaac asked. Still crouched to hide themselves among the overgrown grass, the two continued forward toward the vehicle. 

“I don’t think so. They travel in packs, ya know? Two of them would never come out here alone.” By now the boys were right on the edge of the trees and they could see the two men from the truck were picking over a vending machine. Definitely not Saviors. 

“Come on.” Paul instructed, hurrying toward the back of the truck. As quietly as he could, he unlocked the sliding door and pushed it upward, revealing boxes on boxes on _boxes_ of unopened supplies. 

“Toothpaste.” Isaac whispered in awe. The people of Hilltop had been making due with mouthwash and plain water for the past month and no one was happy about it. 

“We need this truck.” Paul decided. 

“How?” Isaac asked, his eyebrows furrowed. Even though it was 2 vs 2, it was clear one of the men had a crossbow hanging from his back and the other had a gun in his hand. There was no telling what other weapons they had on their person.

“You still have those firecrackers in the backpack?” Paul smirked. Isaac nodded, still confused. “We’re going to go back into the woods, okay? You hide behind the building and I’ll take care of the guys. When I come back around and give you the cue, set the firecrackers off and run, _as fast as you can_ , to the truck.” 

Isaac nibbled on the side of his cheek, unsure of the plan. “What do I do if they attack you?” Some bangs sounded from the front of the gas station. What could they want out of that vending machine so bad that they don’t already have in their grocery store of a truck?

“Let's hope they don’t!” Paul joked with a shrug, immediately jumping up and sprinting around the far side of the gas station. Isaac sighed and hurried back into the woods, hiding behind the building as Paul said. He pulled the bag off his shoulder, unzipping the side pocket and pulling out the firecrackers and a zippo lighter. 

“Back up! Now!” A voice yelled, making Isaac jump. Jeez, Paul… Tossing the backpack to the ground, Isaac waited at the back corner of the station, but still remaining close enough to the trees that he could run back if things went South. 

“Sorry, gotta run! You should, too! I think you’ve got about… 7 minutes!” The older boy yelled back to the two men as he jogged toward Isaac. “You ready?” He whispered. Isaac nodded. 

“So, I’m setting these off, and then what? How are we getting the truck?” He inquired. Paul held up a set of keys and twirled them around his finger with a smirk. Isaac chuckled with a shake of his head before turning and heading toward an old overturned trash can. He bent over the metal can and laid out the firecrackers, all of them twisted together so they’d go off one after the other, and flicked the zippo. It didn’t light. 

“ _Come on!_ ” He groaned, desperately running his thumb along the spark wheel. He looked back at where he and Paul were standing just a second ago, the bearded man gone. Making a split second decision, Isaac pulled the gun hidden in the back of his pants out and checked the magazine. Only one bullet left. 

Guns and weapons in general were a scarcity at Hilltop. They were for emergencies and emergencies only. Not only were they loud and served as a dinner bell for the dead, Gregory was a firm believer that carrying guns attracted more violence. Besides, weapons and ammunition were hard enough to come by.

Isaac clenched his jaw, aimed at the first firecracker, and shot. A hole busted through the roof of the can and sparks flew, one catching the fuse and sizzling through the wick. 

He threw the empty gun to the ground and ran for the backpack, scooping it up and throwing it over his shoulder. He could hear footsteps coming from the other side of the gas station and he ran for his life, just reaching the side of the building as the firecrackers began going off in rapid succession. 

“Firecrackers.” A voice stated the obvious. 

“Shit. Look!” The voice Isaac heard yelling at Paul earlier shouted. They’d seen him. 

Isaac took quick breaths as he sprinted toward the truck, the engine starting and beginning to move forward. He stuck a hand out to grab the door handle when a body crashed into his, slamming him into the concrete and pinning him down. 

“Go! Go!” Isaac exclaimed. He could feel blood slowly seeping from a spot above his eyebrow. One of the men, the one not kneeling against his back, reached for the back door of the vehicle, but Paul slammed on the gas, narrowly escaping. Isaac was alone now, with two men he’d just assisted in stealing a straight truck from. 

“Shit.” The bearded man in the road said, running his hand through his hair. Glancing at Isaac, who was still pinned to the ground and sure half his right eyebrow was scraped away against the pavement, he tucked his gun in his holster and stormed over. He ripped the backpack away from the boy, the strap twisted around his arm and tugging his arm painfully. 

“Ah.” Isaac grunted in discomfort.

“Shut up.” The voice above him spat. The bearded man unzipped all the pockets of the bag and overturned it, a first aid kit that only held a few bandaids, a flashlight, and a supply list falling out. Hands grabbed at his shoulders and hauled him off the ground, only to pin him against a vacant car. “Who are you?” They asked.

Isaac said nothing, glancing between the two men. They both looked older than him, probably in their 30s, and they were clean. _Clean_ clean. They had to have a community, or a great camp with a water supply at the very least. Maybe they actually were Saviors, and if they were, he was _fucked_. 

“Answer the question.” The man with the beard demanded. He seemed to be the more composed of the duo. 

“My name’s Isaac.” He finally answered. 

“Jesus and Isaac? What is this, Sunday school?” The one pinning him down mocked, his southern accent thicker than the other man’s. 

“Where’s your group?” The bearded man ignored the other. Isaac shook his head, he couldn’t give Hilltop away to two strangers. The man behind him applied more pressure to his shoulder, pushing it painfully against the side of the car. “I said, where’s your group?” He repeated. 

“Where’s _yours_?” He snapped back, nudging the hand away with a quick movement of his shoulder. 

The man’s jaw ticked. “Alright, Isaac. Let’s say we do have a group. A group with men and women and _children_ that need what’s in that truck. Where’s it going?” A little bit of hope entered Isaac’s chest, but he quickly pushed it back down. These men might have a group they care about, but they could still be dangerous. 

“Who’s to say my people don’t need what’s in the truck. Why are your people more important than mine?” He expected the man that had him pinned to the car to say something, but he didn’t. 

“They’re not, but we had that truck first.” That made him laugh out loud. 

“Just because you stole the truck first doesn’t make it yours!” He chuckled. “Somebody stole it from somebody who stole it from somebody… Paul has it now until someone else steals it from him.” 

The bearded man let out an irritated breath before reaching into his back pocket. _This is it_ , Isaac thought. _I’m dead_. 

Instead of a gun or knife or something to hurt Isaac with, though, he pulled out handcuffs. And subsequently slapped them around Isaac’s wrists, tightening them in front of him. 

"What the hell?" Isaac asked. Who held on to handcuffs in the apocalypse? 

“Come on,” The bearded man directed. The man pressing Isaac against the car let go and another hand wrapped itself around his forearm, pulling him away from the vehicle not too harshly. 

“We can’t take him back.” Said the one with the thick accent. “We should just leave ‘em out here.” 

“We can’t.” The one who seemed to be the leader disagreed. “If we leave him out here we might as well put a bullet in his back.” They lead him forward, keeping Isaac between them as they walked along the road. He’d never say anything, but these guys had to be stupid or something for leading him straight to their camp. He sighed. 

“Great weather we’re having, right?” Isaac asked after a few minutes, sweat from the smoldering heat trying to drip into his eyes. “Hey, I told you my name, so… What’s yours?”

“I’m Rick.” The bearded man answered almost immediately.

The other man looked between the two of them before letting out his answer. “Daryl.”

“Well, it’s great to meet you both.” Rick shook his head, a little humored. “How about-”

“Look!” Daryl yelled, pointing up the road. The vending machine that had been chained to the back of the box truck was laying in the middle of the road, bits of debris surrounding it. Rick and Daryl started running for it, dragging Isaac along and almost causing him to trip over his feet. 

As soon as they reached the machine, Rick forced Isaac down onto his butt as Daryl pulled a crowbar from his own bag. He smashed the glass in, a few pieces skittering out and around the sitting boy’s feet. It seemed that the only snacks left in the machine were a few bags of chips and some cans of Crush soda. Isaac’s mouth watered at the sight. It had been _years_ since his last can of soda. 

“This was a special request from the doctor.” Daryl explained to Rick as he tucked the cans of soda into his bag. They had a doctor? An actual, _qualified_ doctor? 

“Hey, whatever she wants.” Rick shrugged. Daryl tipped a can that glass had sliced open over and let the beverage pour into his mouth. He handed the can to Rick before all the liquid escaped. “She saved Carl’s life. We didn’t know her and she turned out to be alright.” Rick took a few sips before stopping. “If there’s people out here, and they’re still _people_ , we should bring ‘em in.” 

The bearded man glanced at Isaac, who was watching them drink from his seat against the hot pavement, and walked over. He tipped the can against his mouth, allowing him the last few drops of the soda. If Isaac wasn’t in the company of two men who held his life in their hands, he would’ve cried. Instead, he mumbled his thanks, licking any remaining liquid from around his lips.

“What, like this guy?” Daryl asked, pointing at Isaac. “Stole our truck and left us deserted in the middle of nowhere?” 

Rick sighed, “Not like this guy.” He relented. 

“Look,” Isaac began before he could stop himself. “I know we don’t know each other, but Paul and I didn’t steal your truck because we just… felt like it or something. We’ve got people of our own, people who depend on us to bring them supplies and help keep them alive, and their lives come before yours to us. You two would have done it if you were in our position, and you know it. I’m not sorry. You had _toothpaste_ for crying out loud.” The two men stared at Isaac before Rick cracked a tiny smile. He sent Daryl a look before turning back to Isaac. 

“Toothpaste, huh?” He asked and Isaac nodded, his eyebrows furrowed. Were they mocking him? Rick kneeled down beside him, grabbing his upper arm and helping him stand.

“You’re right. We still don’t trust you, but you’re right.” 

“Since you, uh, think I'm right, is there any chance you’ll take these off?” Isaac asked, lifting his cuffed wrists. It was unlikely, but it was worth a shot.

Rick chuckled, “Nope. Come on.” 

“We still got a trail.” Daryl added as he pulled the bag back on his shoulders. 

Isaac followed along with the men, not that there was much else he could do. He didn’t really like these guys, but in the grand scheme of things, he and Paul could have run into much, _much_ worse people. And they were going to follow the tire tracks whether Isaac was with them or not. They’d catch up with Jesus or these strangers would find out about Hilltop, so he might as well potentially make it home. 

“You said you guys have a doctor, right?” He wondered out loud. Rick glanced at him before nodding. 

“She was in medical school before the world ended, but she’s good at what she does.” He explained. Isaac wondered how many people would’ve made it through simple illnesses at Hilltop if they had a doctor. And then he wondered if Rick and Daryl were going to hurt any people once they made it back. They didn’t seem like bad guys, but neither did Negan the first time Isaac met him. 

By the time Isaac became a member of Hilltop, the situation with Negan was already ongoing. He spent most of his down time with Gregory in his first days there, getting shown around and told how everything works there. He mostly just glazed over the Negan thing, barely mentioned that they’d only keep half of what they grew in the garden for the Hilltop people, and Isaac didn’t find out about until Tammy told him. Later that night, Oscar elaborated that Gregory was an avoidant. If there was an issue, he didn’t talk about it and pretended it wasn’t happening. That’s how he treated Negan, too. After the first time Negan came for half the produce, Isaac asked Gregory about it and he essentially shut the door in his face. It was true.

“We don’t have a doctor.” Isaac commented about Hilltop. “We have a little infirmary for if you hammer your thumb or get a cut, but not an actual doctor.” Maybe if he talked to them, got to know them a little better, it could save his people. The last thing they needed at Hilltop were more communities breathing down their neck. 

However, neither Rick nor Daryl responded to Isaac. A silence settled upon them, not particularly comfortable or uncomfortable, just silent. 

“The tracks end up ahead.” Daryl pointed out. Hope rose again in Isaac. Maybe they wouldn’t find Hilltop.

“You see that little side road? You think he turned?” Rick wondered. Isaac internally sighed. Their steps sped up, coming up on the side road and seeing fresh tracks on the pavement. Further down the road was the straight truck, Paul kneeled outside to change the tire. Daryl scoffed and tapped Rick’s shoulder, motioning for him to follow. 

As they stepped into the trees, Rick stopped Isaac with a hand to his chest. “You be quiet, alright? You make one sound, try and give us away, _anything_ , I’ll shut you up faster than you can blink.” 

Isaac swallowed. “Are you going to kill him?” He asked. Rick shook his head. 

“We don't kill the living. We just want the truck back.” Isaac sighed in response, giving a nod. 

The three made their way through the woods and around the front of the truck, Isaac hanging back the entire way. He was willing for them to take the truck if it meant no one got hurt. He and Paul could always venture out farther, find new places that haven’t been touched yet. 

From the front of the truck, Isaac heard Paul return the tire iron to the back of the trunk and slide the door down. Rick and Daryl made eye contact, seemingly communicating without moving their mouths, and jumped to action. Rick ran around the far side and Daryl the left, going after him from both sides. 

“Hold still and we won’t hurt you.” Rick said. Isaac rounded the side behind Daryl, seeing Rick with his arms wrapped around the other Hilltop member. 

“Sure thing.” Paul said before slamming his elbow back into Rick’s ribs. Isaac's eyes widened. He knew Paul trained in the martial arts before the end of the world, but he'd never seen him in action. Paul grabbed the arm still wrapped around him and swung it over his head, turned around, and kicked Rick in the stomach. 

Daryl came from behind, attempting to punch him in the face, but Paul dodged it and shoved him into the side of the truck. Rick recovered quickly and went after the stranger and Isaac broke out his stupor. He ran forward and jumped at Daryl, wrapping his legs around his waist from the back and locking his still handcuffed hands around his neck. He tried to force Daryl to the ground, but the older man pulled his arms above his head, grabbed the boy from the back of his shirt, and flipped him over into the grass at the same time that Rick shoved Paul. The two landed beside each other in a heap and picked their heads up to two guns pointed straight at them. 

“This is done.” Rick stated, his face full of anger. “What did we just agree?” He asked Isaac. 

Isaac scoffed, “You said you wouldn’t hurt him! You double teamed him!” 

“Do you even have any ammo?” Paul wondered in disbelief. Rick and Daryl simultaneously moved their guns to shoot a biter that the two boys on the ground hadn’t even noticed. “Okay.” He shrugged. 

“You going to shoot us over that truck? You said you don't kill the living.” Isaac moved on. Even though he didn't let himself trust the two strangers, it still got to him that they might've been lying.

“There’s a lot of food on that truck.” Rick explained. “The keys. Now.” The bearded man demanded. 

“Look, I think you know we’re not bad guys,” Paul began, but Rick interrupted him.

“Yeah? What do _you_ know about _us_?” Paul and Isaac were silent. “Exactly. Give me the keys. This is the last time I’m asking.” Isaac let out a breath. 

“Give him the keys.” He muttered. Paul looked at him in disbelief. “We lost, Paul. Give ‘em to him.” 

“Fine.” He gritted, pulling the set from his pocket and lodging them at the man in front of him. “Now what?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading!! Leave a comment or kudos if you want :) I'll be updating ASAP!
> 
> p.s. I wanted to add this in, but I didn't want to make the beginning note too long. I can't remember whether or not the show has explained the layout of Hilltop like they have Alexandria, so I don't know if people actually sleep inside the house or the trailers. If I said wrong, just ignore it lol.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paul, literally, gets run over, and Isaac starts calling the shots.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this update! 
> 
> If you began reading from the first chapter, I've posted a soundtrack/playlist for the story! It's the first "chapter" and I recommend checking it out as a lot of the songs have a similar tone to this fic! Some of them may (or may not) pop up later on, too!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! Leave comments or kudos if you'd like <3

“What happened to all that talk about ‘ _ if we leave him out here we might as well put a bullet in his back _ ’?” Isaac asked as Rick wrapped a length of utility cord around his ankles. The handcuffs were still fastened around his wrists, giving him at least a little bit of arm mobility. “You’re leaving us here, tied up, with no weapons.” Rick looped the rope around the cuff chain, tightening Isaac’s hands to his ankles. 

“You should’ve thought about that before you stole our truck in the first place,” Rick retorted, moving on his knees over to Paul. “Besides, the ropes aren’t that tight. You should be able to get free after we’re long gone.” The long haired man was quiet as he was bound. 

That was Rick’s solution to all of this. Tie Paul and Isaac up, take the truck, and hopefully, by the time they got out of the ropes, no biters would’ve gotten to them yet and the truck would be far enough gone they couldn’t be tracked down. 

Isaac sighed, trying to think of a plan. The Virginian heat was boiling and sweat was dripping from his hair, rolling down the side of his face. He rubbed the side of his face against his dirty t-shirt. 

“Damn it,” Daryl muttered, pulling a leaking can of soda pop from his backpack. It must’ve exploded when Isaac jumped on him, or maybe it had been leaking since they broke into the vending machine. A torrent of soda flowed from the bottom of the bag.

“Maybe we should talk now?” Paul offered, his voice hopeful. 

Isaac sat in silence. He was done trying to negotiate with these guys. They wanted the truck and they were willing to do just about anything to get it. And, Isaac could tell Rick was at his wit’s end. They weren’t getting anything from that truck, they might as well just accept it and focus on getting back to Hilltop.

“Nah,” Daryl responded to Paul. He shook the can, the remaining soda sloshing around inside, and chucked it at Isaac’s feet. “In case you get thirsty.” He scoffed, walking around the side of the truck with his wet backpack in his hand. Paul chuckled, shaking his head, and Isaac sighed, giving his wrists and ankles a twist. He’d be able to get out of the ropes eventually, but the handcuffs would be another issue. 

“Wait for the doors to shut.” Paul whispered, glancing at Isaac from the corner of his eye. 

“What?” Isaac whispered back. Paul gave a tiny head shake, his eyes trained on the vehicle. They heard two slams, the doors closing, and Paul got moving. 

He brought his wrists to his mouth, grabbing the cord with his teeth and yanking it loose. In seconds, he’d wriggled his hands from the rope and was grabbing at the strands fastening his ankles together. As soon as the cord around his feet was undone, he moved over to Isaac, his fingers quickly finding the knot Rick had made and prying it open. With his feet untied, the only restraints left on Isaac were the rusty handcuffs. 

“Um. Hold your hands up like this,” Paul instructed, holding his wrists up as an example. “And slam them over your knee.” Isaac’s eyebrows furrowed. 

“I’m not going to be able to break these handcuffs!” He whispered fervently. Maybe they would be able to find a paperclip, something to pick the lock.

Paul shook his head. “They’re rusted! They’ll break, I promise.” 

Isaac sighed and did as he was told, lifting his hands and bringing them down over his knee with all of his force. The feeling of the hard chain whipping against his leg hurt and his wrists smarted where the cuffs strained against his skin. He knew there was definitely going to be a bruise there by nightfall, but as Paul promised, the rusty chain broke. The cuffs were still locked around his wrists, but he was free to move his hands farther than a couple inches away from the other. 

“Holy shit!” Isaac exclaimed in awe. 

“Hurry!” Paul directed, jumping to his feet and running in a crouch to the back of the truck. He pushed himself up on the ledge, grabbing at the roof and trying to pull himself up. “Give me a boost!” Isaac looked around at his surroundings, unsure if it was even a good idea to still go after the truck anymore. 

“It’s not worth it, Paul.” He sighed. “We should just head back.” 

“No! The Saviors are coming in two days and we have nothing to give them. Even if we don’t get the truck, we can find out where these guys’ group is and talk to their leader. Maybe they can help!” The truck engine roared to life and Paul gave Isaac a pleading expression. 

“Fine.” Isaac stepped forward, locking his hands together and allowing Paul to use them to hoist himself into the roof of the box truck. Following suit, Isaac stepped up onto the ledge and reached up, grabbing Paul’s hand for the other man to pull him up. Before he could climb up onto the top, though, the truck lurched forward, the two almost losing their holds and falling off. 

“Just hold on back here.” Paul instructed, turning to better hold onto the roof. “ _ Don’t  _ fall.” 

Isaac took a deep breath, crouching and resetting his feet in better positions on the foot of the truck. He tightened one hand against the door lock and the other around the edge of the vehicle, letting himself get used to the feel of the movements of the truck. 

Sometime while driving, music began echoing through the windows of the vehicle. Isaac had no idea how Paul was holding up on the roof of the truck, but he imagined it was more difficult fighting against the added wind from how fast they were traveling and was glad he was on the back. His feet were falling asleep and his fingers were cramping, but all he had to do was hold on. Falling off wasn’t an option. If hitting the concrete from this height and this speed didn’t kill him, being lost, alone and without a weapon, with no idea where he was probably would. 

He had no idea how long the truck had been travelling when Isaac felt the truck take a sharp curve, leaving the road and bumping along into a field of grass. None of the street signs or buildings they passed sparked recognition in his mind. A few thuds sounded from the roof and Isaac winced, hoping the men in the truck hadn’t heard Paul banging around. All of a sudden, the truck slammed on its brakes, tire marks etching themselves into the dirt. Isaac held on as tightly as possible, his head bouncing against the door from the unexpected stop. 

“ _ Oof _ .” Isaac heard from a grunt around the vehicle, followed by a hard thump against the grass. Isaac sighed. They definitely heard Paul. 

Taking a cautious step off of the truck ledge, Isaac peeked around the right side of the truck. Paul pushed himself off the ground to his feet, putting his hands up to show his innocence to the drivers. Before Isaac could say anything, Paul turned and began sprinting through the grass, the truck quickly accelerating after him. Without a moment of hesitation, Isaac took off after the vehicle. If he could get to a door, maybe he could get inside and stop them from mowing down his friend. 

The passenger door popped open and Daryl jumped out, running after the stranger. Isaac could hear Rick yelling after him and immediately changed his target, charging after the southern man instead. The truck sped up and began to curve around Paul in an attempt to cut him off, but he changed direction, still moving at top speed. Rick threw the truck in reverse, speeding backward and narrowly missing running over Isaac. Daryl was even closer to Paul, throwing his arms out in attempt to catch him. Rick parked the vehicle and jumped out, the door slamming behind him. 

“I got him!” Daryl yelled, his sentence immediately followed by Isaac leaping and tackling him, the movement catching him off guard and not giving him time to ready himself against the other man. They both slammed into the dirt in a heap, Isaac on top. 

The two rolled, each trying to pin the other down as Paul climbed into the truck. Isaac tried holding Daryl’s arms down on his back, the maneuver unsuccessful as Daryl ripped both arms away and grabbed the younger man by his shirt, flipping their position. Isaac rolled over and attempted to grab Daryl’s shoulders and rotate them again, but the man was already pushing himself up to try and stand.

“Get off me, you little shit!” Daryl grunted, sending a sluggish kick backward against Isaac’s chest and ribs before jumping up to go after the other Hilltop member. Isaac sucked in a deep breath at the attack, rubbing the area as he tried to stan. One glance at Rick proved he was preoccupied with stabbing biters in the head. Isaac turned back to Paul and Daryl, a stray geek coming up behind them. It was going to get Daryl before he even realized it was there. 

“Daryl!” Isaac shouted, his voice hoarse from the air being forced out of lungs from the kick. He shoved himself to his feet and stumbling forward, trying to make it to the biter before it took a chunk out of Daryl. The man in question turned around to face the biter, swatting his holster for his gun but coming back short. Paul leaning around him and shooting it in the head before it could reach them. Isaac slowed as he saw the body drop, relieved. He sucked in another breath, trying to replenish his oxygen supply.

Daryl turned back around, grunting out a “Thanks.” before socking Paul in the jaw. “That’s  _ my _ gun!” He yelled, reaching into the cab of the truck and trying to drag Paul out. They wrestled as they both tried to kick the other out, somehow knocking the truck out of gear in the process. It began rolling backward, headed straight for the lake. 

Isaac ran forward as the truck rolled, reaching them just as they realized what was happening. They both jumped out and, acting on instinct, Isaac jumped inside, slamming on the brakes and putting the truck back in park. Peeking out the window, he could see that the back wheels were in the lake and the bumper was in the water, but not enough that water would reach the supplies. He had somehow managed to save the truck. 

Rick had rushed toward them he saw the truck begin moving, but as soon as he reached Daryl, he slowed. They both started walking toward the truck and Isaac stuck his hands up, halting them.

“Stay there!” He demanded. “Or i’ll put it back in neutral and  _ none _ of us will get the supplies!” The two men stopped, gauging Isaac’s facial expression to see if he was lying. 

“You wouldn’t.” Rick dared, his eyes squinted. 

“Try me.” Isaac bit back. He refused to blink, holding Rick’s gaze. The older man looked away first, shifting his weight onto one hip and putting his hands on his waist.

“Alright,” Rick said in a placating tone. “What do you want?” He asked. Isaac looked around, not seeing his run partner. 

“Where’s Paul?” He asked, hoping the panic he was beginning to feel wasn’t edging into his voice. If Paul was hurt or, heaven forbid,  _ dead _ , Isaac was truly fucked. 

Daryl looked down at the ground right in front of the truck and stepped forward, nudging something over with his boot. Isaac looked out the window, Paul’s body just laying there. He inhaled, grounding himself, and watched Paul’s abdomen rise and fall as he breathed. He was still alive.

“How good is that doctor of yours?” He asked. Rick tilted his head and Daryl shook his. 

“No.” The longer haired man grunted. “No way.” Before Isaac could retort, Rick looked at him. 

“He helped you. Both of ‘em did.”

“Maybe,” Daryl scoffed. 

“They ever pull a weapon on you?” Rick wondered. 

Daryl just looked at him. “He sacked me.” He scowled. Rick didn’t have to say another word, just gave Daryl a look and the man tightened his mouth, exhaling through his nose. “Whatever.” 

“If you take him to your doctor and we’ll split the truck.” Isaac bargained. Rick shifted his weight again. 

“Three quarters for us, one for you.” 

Isaac scoffed. Hell no! “If it weren’t for me, all the supplies would be in that lake and we’d all be stranded. We’ll split it fifty-fifty, you’ll take Paul to your doctor, and we’ll leave you alone.” 

“Deal.” Rick took it. “But a  _ real _ deal this time. We’ve both gotta be honest if we want to get out of here. If you try and pull something, you won’t get another chance.” 

Isaac agreed. “Scouts honor.” He said, holding up three fingers. Climbing out of the truck, he looked at the two men. Other than tying him and Paul up, which Isaac was willing to admit they kinda deserved, the two men hadn’t done him wrong all day. Rick gave him some soda earlier from the vending machine and Daryl hadn’t killed him after jumping on his back when they found Paul changing the truck tire, even though he obviously wanted to. He was against trusting strangers, but something deep inside of Isaac told him that they were just men trying to do right by their people. It was a respectable attribute. 

“Help me get him.” Rick instructed Isaac and Daryl, walking closer to Paul. He was still breathing, but he had a small gash on his head, likely the reason why he was knocked out in the first place. 

It took a few minutes, but the three men finally got Paul inside the cabin of the truck. There were only two main seats with a small hump seat in the center, so the four of them were going to have to squish in. Rick was the designated driver, Paul propped up beside him, Isaac on the edge of the center seat, and Daryl sitting on the far passenger side. The truck rolled smoothly off the edge of the lake and, once Rick got you back on the road, they were on their way to wherever Rick and Daryl’s community was located. 

“He took a pretty hard hit,” Rick commented into the silence, glancing at the scabbing gash on the side of Paul’s head. “We’ll have Denise look him over as soon as we get there.” 

“She your doctor?” Isaac asked. Rick took a curve a little fast and Paul slumped against Isaac, pushing him into Daryl. The older man grunted and Isaac shoved Paul back over. 

“Yeah.” Rick responded. Isaac glanced back at Daryl for a second before looking back at Rick. 

“If I wasn’t here, what would you have done...?” 

“With your friend?” Rick asked with a chuckle. Isaac nodded. “I dunno. Probably brought him back, still.”

“I would’ve left him.” Daryl deadpanned. Isaac looked at him. 

“Really?” He asked in disbelief, a tiny bit insulted. 

“I would’ve.” He insisted. “Maybe put him up a tree if I was feelin’ nice.”

“But that’s so…  _ heartless _ .” Isaac responded, his eyebrows furrowed. 

“Oh, and stealin’ someone’s truck ain’t?” Daryl heatedly countered. 

“What about kicking someone in the-” Isaac began, but Rick interrupted him. 

“Both of you, shut up!” Rick raised his voice, swerving the truck to the right. Paul, still passed out, fell over onto Isaac’s shoulder, pushing him into Daryl. Daryl shoved the boy back roughly. 

“Asshole.” Isaac muttered, righting Paul in his seat and rubbing at the sore spot on his arm. He scooted over as far as he could manage in the cramped cabin, away from Daryl. Rick chuckled, slowing the vehicle as they reached the road Alexandria was located on. 


End file.
